“Zheng qi cun nei, xie bu ke gan, xie zhi suo cou, qi bi xu” — Huangdi Neijing
The human body is an organic whole, where the right qi (zheng qi) and evil qi (xie) interact, leading to a process of mutual reinforcement and weakening, ultimately resulting in one side prevailing over the other, akin to a balance point on a scale. If a person has strong “zheng qi” and robust immunity, they will not easily succumb to “bing xie” (disease-causing evil). Conversely, those with weak “zheng qi” frequently fall ill, indicating that the quantity of “zheng qi” within the body determines susceptibility to disease. This reflects the TCM perspective on disease treatment: “Zheng qi cun nei, xie bu ke gan, xie zhi suo cou, qi bi xu,” which means that when there is abundant right qi in the body, evil qi finds it difficult to invade; conversely, the invasion of evil qi is due to the weakness of right qi.
Currently, the mainstream TCM approach to cancer treatment is “fu zheng zhi ai” (supporting the right qi to treat cancer). The formation of cancer is primarily due to insufficient right qi and dysfunction of the organs, allowing evil toxins to invade and accumulate in the meridians and organs, leading to an imbalance of yin and yang, and dysfunction of qi and blood, resulting in qi stagnation, blood stasis, phlegm accumulation, and toxin aggregation, which over time forms tumors.
“Fu zheng fa” (supporting the right method) involves regulating the physiological functions of yin and yang, qi and blood, and the meridians and organs to fully utilize the body’s inherent disease-fighting capabilities. The combination of TCM and surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy in supporting the right qi to treat cancer can complement each other and enhance efficacy.
Moxibustion, by nourishing the spleen and stomach, can improve the patient’s constitution and enhance hematopoietic function, such as increasing white blood cell counts and alleviating adverse reactions from surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, thereby providing cancer patients with the opportunity to undergo these treatments smoothly.
Some supportive herbs have inherent anti-cancer properties or enhance the effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, acting as “poison to attack evil.” The term “poison to attack evil” does not refer to toxic substances in the general sense, but to herbs with yin-yang bias. The cause of cancer is due to yin-yang imbalance, thus treatment requires the use of herbs with yin-yang bias to correct the body’s yin-yang imbalance, using the four properties of herbs: cold, hot, warm, and cool to restore harmony between yin and yang.
Moxibustion therapy, also known as moxibustion method, is one of the natural therapies.
It is often referred to alongside acupuncture, showcasing distinct ethnic characteristics.
Not only is it a treasure of traditional Chinese medicine, but it is also a unique gem in world medicine, attracting attention from people worldwide. It has a long history, a wide range of treatments, unique effects, and is simple, economical, safe, and reliable, with no side effects, capable of both preventing and treating diseases, as well as promoting health. Therefore, for over two thousand years, moxibustion has remained a beloved treatment method.
Moxibustion therapy is an important component of acupuncture in traditional medicine, crystallizing the long-term struggle of ancient laborers against diseases, characterized by “rapid effects on severe conditions, miraculous effects on difficult diseases, and lasting effects on common ailments“.
Moxibustion is an external treatment method.
It utilizes moxa or certain flammable materials and specific herbs to burn at acupoints or affected areas, generating thermal or chemical stimulation, which, through the conduction of meridians, regulates qi and blood, supports the right qi and expels evil, warms the meridians, reduces swelling and resolves stasis, detoxifies and alleviates pain, and promotes tissue regeneration, thereby restoring the balance of physiological functions in the body, achieving therapeutic, health-preserving, and wellness goals.
Invention of Moxibustion:
Moxibustion is a method of treating diseases with fire, hence the character “灸” (jiu) is derived from “火” (fire).
It is often used to treat the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, yielding lasting effects, but it requires persistent treatment, hence the character “久” (long-lasting).
Moxibustion is an important part of acupuncture, a science invented and created by ancient laborers in their long struggle against diseases.
The therapeutic effects of moxibustion
Moxibustion utilizes the medicinal and thermal effects produced by moxa sticks to stimulate specific acupoints and related areas, activating and regulating the functions of the meridians; through the conduction of meridians and the transport of qi and blood, it adjusts organ functions, improves constitution, enhances the body’s disease resistance, and restores pathological changes to a normal physiological state, thus achieving the purpose of disease prevention and treatment. Therefore, the application of moxibustion is very broad; it can treat external surface diseases as well as internal organ diseases; it can treat many chronic diseases and some acute critical conditions. The main aspects include:
1. Disease prevention and health promotion, extending life:
Ancient practitioners summarized through long-term medical practice that “when a person moxibusts the acupoints of Guanyuan, Qihai, Mingmen, and Zhongwan regularly when healthy, even if they do not achieve immortality, they can still ensure a lifespan of a hundred years.” Recent studies have confirmed that moxibustion can act on the body’s immune system, enhancing immunity and disease resistance.
Some practitioners have used moxibustion to prevent diseases such as measles, influenza, and mumps, achieving good results.
Medical knowledge informs us that the essence of aging is related to the decline of cellular function. By middle age, the functions of various organs gradually weaken and undergo degenerative changes, with the decline of the central nervous system and endocrine system being significant causes of aging.
Research has shown that moxibustion can enhance the activity of cortical cells in the brain, promote enzymatic metabolism within cells, and stabilize the internal environment of cells; it can also enhance the function of the pituitary-adrenal cortex system, thus adjusting endocrine and delaying the decline of endocrine function.
Reports indicate that in some areas of Japan, moxibustion at the Zusanli point is regarded as a primary fitness technique, with the saying “Do not travel with those who do not moxibust at Zusanli.”
Modern Japanese acupuncturist Tanida Fumiji advocates early moxibustion at the Shenzhu point during infancy to promote growth and development; moxibustion at the Fengmen point during adolescence to prevent lung-related diseases; moxibustion at the Sanyinjiao point during youth to avoid reproductive and urinary system issues; moxibustion at the Zusanli point after establishing adulthood to solidify the foundation and prevent various diseases; and moxibustion at the Quchi point in old age to improve vision, lower blood pressure, and prevent stroke.
Thus, research on moxibustion for disease prevention and health promotion will open broader fields for modern preventive medicine.
2. Anti-cancer and adjunctive treatment for cancer:
Based on the immune-enhancing effects of moxibustion, many people have achieved good results in cancer treatment through moxibustion.
Reports indicate that during cancer treatment, when cyclophosphamide injections lead to decreased white blood cell counts, moxibustion at the Dazhui point can increase white blood cell counts, particularly neutrophils, suggesting that moxibustion may counteract the hematopoietic suppression caused by cyclophosphamide, alleviating symptoms of deficiency.
Researchers believe that this effect of moxibustion enhances the body’s immune defense function, improves disease resistance, enhances microcirculation including in the bone marrow, promotes metabolism, and provides overall adjustment and improvement.
3. Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and disinfecting effects:
Clinical practice has proven that using moxa sticks, medicinal moxa sticks, and other methods to treat acute mastitis, acute appendicitis, acute conjunctivitis, osteomyelitis, and thrombophlebitis is very effective.
Experimental studies have also shown that moxibustion for different durations can inhibit Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus beta, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to varying degrees.
Therefore, moxibustion is often used to treat early-stage external sores, such as various boils that have not yet suppurated, and tuberculosis at its onset, as it can dispel stasis and resolve lumps, detoxify and reduce heat.
As qi is warmed and moves, and blood moves with qi, moxibustion as a thermal stimulus can harmonize qi and blood, ensuring smooth circulation, thus achieving the effects of invigorating blood circulation and dispelling stasis. For chronic sores that have not healed, moxibustion can also promote healing and tissue regeneration.
4. Prevention of cerebral thrombosis:
Reports indicate that Japanese acupuncturist Tanida Fumiji effectively uses moxibustion for health care, stating that moxibustion at the Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, and Quchi points in the elderly can prevent stroke.
The reason moxibustion can prevent cerebral thrombosis is that it improves microcirculation and positively adjusts blood coagulation, thus preventing the occurrence of cerebral thrombosis.
5. Prevention and treatment of stroke-related paralysis:
Moxibustion can improve microcirculation and has the effects of warming meridians, unblocking collaterals, and invigorating blood circulation, thus having certain effects on stroke-related paralysis.
Clinical experiments have confirmed that moxibustion at the Baihui point can dilate cerebral blood vessels, improve cerebral vascular elasticity, and increase cerebral blood flow.
Improvement in cerebral circulation can promote the recovery of brain function and cell metabolism, leading to significant improvement in clinical symptoms. Coupled with the warming and vessel-dilating effects of moxibustion, this may explain the efficacy of moxibustion in treating stroke-related paralysis.
6. Regulation of blood pressure:
Practical evidence shows that for hypertension caused by emotional factors such as anger, anxiety, and tension, moxibustion at the Yongquan point can calm the mind and lower blood pressure.
Research has also found that using warm needle moxibustion at the Shimen point can lower blood pressure in those with hypertension and raise it in those with hypotension, indicating that moxibustion has a regulatory effect on blood pressure, bringing it towards normal levels.
7. Special effects on rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatic arthritis:
Due to the warming and heat properties of mugwort, the heat from moxibustion can penetrate deep into the muscle layers, warming the meridians and promoting qi movement. Therefore, moxibustion has excellent effects in warming the meridians, dispelling cold, invigorating blood circulation, and alleviating pain. It is particularly effective for cold-induced pain in the joints, menstrual pain, and abdominal pain due to cold.
In recent years, there has been extensive research on moxibustion for treating rheumatoid arthritis and rheumatic arthritis.
Reports indicate that patients treated with moxibustion have shown varying degrees of correction in hemoglobin, sedimentation rate, immunoglobulin, circulating immune complexes, lymphocyte transformation rate, and rheumatoid factor; some patients have restored cellular immune function, decreased sedimentation rate, and turned rheumatoid factor negative.
These findings indicate that the efficacy of moxibustion in treating rheumatoid arthritis is reliable.
8. Regulation of nerve function:
Moxibustion has a bidirectional regulatory effect on nerve function, stimulating underactive, weakened, or paralyzed nerves, while also calming nerves that are stimulated by allergies or cold, alleviating pain and spasms.
Thus, moxibustion is effective not only for neuralgia, headaches, and gastrointestinal spasms but also for nerve paralysis and hemiplegia.
Clinical observations have found that moxibustion is beneficial for nerve function recovery, with gentle moxibustion effectively treating hemiplegia, multiple neuritis, lateral femoral cutaneous neuritis, neuralgia, and neuroses.
9. Both invigorating blood circulation and stopping bleeding:
Moxibustion, through thermal stimulation, warms the treated area, dilating local blood vessels, promoting blood circulation, and achieving the effects of invigorating blood circulation and dispelling stasis. At the same time, moxibustion can shorten blood coagulation time, enhancing the body’s hemostatic function.
Therefore, moxibustion and medicinal moxibustion are effective for bleeding diseases such as hemorrhoidal bleeding, nasal bleeding, uterine bleeding, and retinal bleeding.
10. Regulation of gastrointestinal function and treatment of digestive system diseases:
Clinical practice has shown that moxibustion at the Tianshu and Zusanli points can treat both diarrhea and constipation, and it has certain efficacy for peptic ulcers. It is particularly effective for abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation caused by cold in the stomach.
11. Analgesic effects:
As early as over two thousand years ago, the Chinese people discovered the analgesic effects of moxibustion.
In recent years, as moxibustion has been widely applied for pain relief, research has also been conducted on its analgesic mechanisms.
Studies have found that due to the warming effects of moxibustion and the aromatic properties of mugwort, it can improve blood circulation in the treated area, relieve vascular spasms and smooth muscle spasms, thus treating various pain conditions such as stomach pain, abdominal pain, joint pain, and muscle pain.
12. Remarkable effects for weight loss:
Weight loss through moxibustion has only recently gained attention.
Research has shown that moxibustion (including medicinal moxibustion) at certain acupoints and areas of obesity can regulate the metabolic system and neurohumoral system, achieving weight loss.
13. Functions of dispelling wind and relieving the exterior:
Moxibustion at relevant acupoints can warm the skin, disperse wind and cold, induce sweating, and relieve the exterior, commonly used for treating exterior wind-cold symptoms such as colds, coughs, phlegm, chills, and fever.
14. Functions of warming yang, tonifying qi, and restoring yang:
Moxibustion has the effects of warming yang and tonifying deficiency, restoring yang and solidifying collapse. Clinically, for symptoms of yang deficiency such as profuse sweating and cold extremities, urgent moxibustion can be applied.
It can also be used for conditions like gastric prolapse, kidney prolapse, uterine prolapse, and chronic anal prolapse caused by qi deficiency, to tonify the middle, enhance qi, lift the sinking organs, and strengthen ligament function.
In summary, the diseases that moxibustion can prevent and treat include various acute and chronic diseases across internal medicine, surgery, gynecology, pediatrics, dermatology, orthopedics, and otorhinolaryngology, totaling over a hundred types.
In conclusion, the TCM cancer treatment guided by the academic thought of “fu zheng zhi ai” has shown efficacy in stabilizing or shrinking tumors, improving patient symptoms, enhancing quality of life, and prolonging survival. Therefore, cancer patients and their families should not wait until they reach a dead end to consider TCM, but should reasonably apply TCM treatment for cancer under the guidance of a TCM practitioner as early as possible.
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